Japanese girl band sparks outrage after donning Nazi-style costumes for Halloween concert
A popular Japanese girl band set up by an executive board member of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics organising committee has been criticised for giving a Halloween concert in costumes modelled on Nazi Waffen-SS uniforms.
It’s unforgivable considering how influential they are as talents
Keyakizaka46, which is part of the AKB48 J-pop phenomenon formed by Yasushi Akimoto, donned black military-style costumes similar to those worn by the paramilitary wing of Hitler’s Nazi party. Publicity photos showed some members wearing large peaked hats featuring a bird insignia that resembles the Parteiadler eagle emblem of the Nazis.
The group, which formed in 2015, reached No 1 in the Oricon daily single CD and Billboard Japan top singles charts with their debut single, Silent Majority, earlier this year.
Akimoto, the band’s producer and lyricist, will help produce the opening ceremony for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Social media users criticised the band’s choice of costume for their Perfect Halloween concert in Yokohama late last month.
Twitter user @batayanF3 wrote: “Just because you didn’t know or because you don’t praise Nazis doesn’t mean you can do this kind of thing. It’s unforgivable considering how influential they are as talents.” Another user, @buppii21, suggested the members of the group, aged from 15 to 21, should read the Diary of Anne Frank.
Another commenter, @pfd1212, said the group’s management should have known better than to dress children in Nazi uniforms.
